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Court Order Requires Mount Vernon To Address Polluting Storm Sewers Court Order Requires Mount Vernon To Address Polluting Storm Sewers
Court Order Requires Mount Vernon To Address Polluting Storm Sewers The federal government is forcing Mount Vernon to address its long-broken sewer system, which has sent raw sewage into city homes, the Bronx and Hutchinson rivers for years. A federal district court is ordering the city to bring its polluting storm sewer system into compliance with the Clean Water Act after ignoring two previous EPA administrative orders to make the required fixes. The city's sewage system includes more than 195 miles of sewer lines, 3,100 catch-basins, and 3,000 manholes which run through Mount Vernon. Since the problems were discovered, the city has been fined millions of…

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by Zak Failla
News
Hudson Valley-Based Company To Pay EPA $575,000 For Violating Safety Rules Hudson Valley-Based Company To Pay EPA $575,000 For Violating Safety Rules
Hudson Valley-Based Company To Pay EPA $575,000 For Violating Safety Rules A Hudson Valley-based company agreed to pay a hefty penalty after being sued by the federal government for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act involving asbestos renovations at a former hospital. Dutchess County-based Dover Greens, the company tasked with developing the former Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center in Wingdale, was charged with violating the Clean Air Act and EPA’s National Emissions Standards for Asbestos during renovations at the facility, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman announced. It was alleged that Dover Greens failed to take the necessary precautions and follow the proper…

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by Zak Failla
News
Swimming Banned In Croton River Due To Fecal Matter Swimming Banned In Croton River Due To Fecal Matter
Swimming Banned In Croton River Due To Fecal Matter Swimming has been temporarily banned in the Croton River following tests that found a high level of fecal matter in the water. Officials said that water testing in two areas of the river on Friday, Aug. 16, found that the levels of fecal coliform exceeded the range for swimming. The tests took place near Mayo’s Landing and the Unique Area. Signage has been posted in the area warning of the contamination, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has been made aware of the situation. The Westchester County Department of Health was also alerted. According to officials,…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
City Council 'Robbing Peter To Pay Paul,' Mount Vernon Mayor Says City Council 'Robbing Peter To Pay Paul,' Mount Vernon Mayor Says
City Council 'Robbing Peter To Pay Paul,' Mount Vernon Mayor Says Internal strife, bickering and finger-pointing inside Mount Vernon City Hall is back, with the mayor now vetoing a City Council transfer of funds, claiming that they are “robbing Peter to pay Paul.” Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas announced this week that he vetoed a City Council resolution that sought to transfer funds within the Department of Public Works to free up grant-matching funds to match EPA compliance. The city is facing millions of dollars in fines from the Department of Justice and EPA for its failing sewer system and other violations. The latest back-and-forth between the m…

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by Zak Failla
News
Three Responsible For Release Of Mercury In Westchester Village Settle Case Three Responsible For Release Of Mercury In Westchester Village Settle Case
Three Responsible For Release Of Mercury In Westchester Village Settle Case Three companies have reached a settlement with the United States Attorney’s Office to clean up mercury at a Westchester County Superfund Site. Robert Khuzami, an Attorney for the United States announced that they have reached an agreement with Columbia Gas Transmission LLC, Henry Schein, Inc., and Union Carbide Corporation, to recoup funds the EPA incurred for more than a decade in connection with its clean-up of mercury at the Port Refinery Superfund Site in Rye Brook. As part of the agreement, the three companies have agreed to pay a combined $179,647. According to the U.S. Attorney…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Deadly Tick-Borne Virus Confirmed In Hudson Valley For Second Straight Year Deadly Tick-Borne Virus Confirmed In Hudson Valley For Second Straight Year
Deadly Tick-Borne Virus Confirmed In Hudson Valley For Second Straight Year A case of a deadly tick-borne virus has been confirmed in the Hudson Valley for the second straight year. Dutchess County health officials confirmed Tuesday that a case of the Powassan virus, a rare but potentially serious disease, has been found in a Dutchess County resident. The individual contracted the virus in the late spring and is currently recovering at home. The precise location within the county was not released. “Although the risk of contracting any tick-borne disease peaks in June and July, ticks may be active in Dutchess County throughout the year if temperatures are above free…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Feds Invited To Speak On Hutchinson, Bronx River Discharges In Mount Vernon Feds Invited To Speak On Hutchinson, Bronx River Discharges In Mount Vernon
Feds Invited To Speak On Hutchinson, Bronx River Discharges In Mount Vernon With Mount Vernon facing millions of dollars in fines for violating the Clean Water Act, Mayor Richard Thomas has invited members of the federal government to appear at Wednesday’s City Council meeting. The City of Mount Vernon is facing a lawsuit from the EPA and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for allegedly discharging raw sewage and other pollutants from its storm sewer system into the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers. The fines may top $100 million. Officials announced the lawsuit last month, claiming that Mount Vernon has failed to comply with the Clean Water Act sto…

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by Zak Failla
News
Feds Sue Mount Vernon For Hutchinson, Bronx River Raw Sewage Discharges Feds Sue Mount Vernon For Hutchinson, Bronx River Raw Sewage Discharges
Feds Sue Mount Vernon For Hutchinson, Bronx River Raw Sewage Discharges The City of Mount Vernon is facing a lawsuit from the EPA and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York for allegedly discharging raw sewage and other pollutants from its storm sewer system into the Hutchinson and Bronx Rivers. Officials announced the lawsuit on Thursday, claiming that Mount Vernon has failed to comply with the Clean Water Act storm sewer permit requirements designed to prevent raw sewage and other illicit pollutants from flowing from the city’s storm sewer system into the rivers. The discharges have allegedly been going on since January 2012. According to Ge…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Westchester Resident Wants Ranger Ready Insect Repellent On Every Shelf Westchester Resident Wants Ranger Ready Insect Repellent On Every Shelf
Westchester Resident Wants Ranger Ready Insect Repellent On Every Shelf The makers of Ranger Ready insect repellent are sounding the alarm. Mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, chiggers, and gnats are more than annoyances. “The rules of the game have changed,” said Chris Fuentes, Norwalk resident and founder and CEO of startup Pic20 Group, LLC, maker of Norwalk-based Ranger Ready insect repellent, “we’ve gone from pesky mosquitoes at barbecues to tiny ticks that can maim you for life.” Around here, Lyme Disease poses an ever-present threat. In fact, area states like Connecticut have issued warnings, see “Lyme Disease Warning Issued By CT Department Of Health." And wh…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz